SHONTE RENEE

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Shonte Renee is a liberated woman who lives life on her own terms, a soulful and melodic singer that deliberately offers sexuality as part of the package. Her vibe is all about artistic expression and going against the grain in every aspect of life. As a result, the Atlanta, GA native is part sex symbol, part rebel and part sweetheart, a dichotomy that explains the diversity of her audience and music. Shonte’s appeal might begin with her pinup girl looks and charismatic personality, but it’s her vocal talent that locks people in. It was that charm, but also her skills on the mic, that caught the discerning eye and ear of Grammy-winning DJ and producer, DJ Montay. “Montay saw a video of me on Instagram singing TI and Pink’s song, ‘Guns and Roses,’ A Capella and loved it,” recalls Shonte. “He immediately signed me to Oomp Camp Records and it’s been nothing but forward progression ever since.” As the first lady of a label that has had multi-platinum success with its roster, the young songstress plans to keep the legacy alive.

Shonte grew up listening to her grandmother sing in the church choir, an experience that heavily influenced her career path early on. Hearing the raw emotions of the family matriarch over the years led her to resonate with the tone and pain in Toni Braxton’s voice, one of her favorite artists. As she continued to mature as a woman, Janet Jackson became Shonte’s primary inspiration. Jackson’s sensual choreography and sex appeal helped her to embrace her own body and use it as a form of art. The multi-faceted entertainer has created a provocative persona that is best displayed on the cover art of her debut mixtape, Color Me Bad (Red). The project is not only a solid collection of cover songs, mostly produced by Montay and DLamar, but the artwork is a remix of Jackson’s infamous topless Rolling Stone cover. “I love that the picture is risqué and I feel like it highlights who I am to the core, which is exactly what I want to show to the world. I wanted to grab people’s attention and give them me.” Shonte is truly a classy lady who rocks. In addition to being sexually expressive, she also pushes boundaries with her sound, preferring to blend genres such as Pop, Rock, R&B and Hip-Hop. Shonte’s lyrics echo her fearless persona touching on personal subject matter that contains both emotion and heart, as well as challenges and surprises. With brains, beauty and body, this golden voiced singer, who lives by the scripture “No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” has earned her right to slay.